


Bruises ***DISCONTINUED

by pomegranasia



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AsaNoya - Freeform, Child Abuse, Fluff, I promise it's going to get better, M/M, Recovery, and azumane is not going to let noya get hurt any more, discontinued, headcanon in which not all of noya's bruises are from volleyball, i am asanoya trash, in which nishinoya's father is complete trash, there may be slightly graphic depictions of child abuse in later chapters, when sugamama finds out there will be no mercy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2018-04-02 21:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4075315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pomegranasia/pseuds/pomegranasia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nishinoya Yuu was always getting bruises. Azumane Asahi knew that, and he knew it well. Noya was a libero, so bruises were bound to appear. Only, these were… Different. Painfully so. (Discontinued as of 2/18/18).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Flinch

**Author's Note:**

> You want some MAJOR feels? Listen to the acoustic version of Flaws by Bastille and Human by Christina Perri while reading this. I'm so sorry. <3 p.s. I am so sorry. This chapter looked longer as I was writing it :/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You want some MAJOR feels? Listen to the acoustic version of Flaws by Bastille and Human by Christina Perri while reading this. I'm so sorry. <3 p.s. I am so sorry. This chapter looked longer as I was writing it :/

     Nishinoya Yuu was always getting bruises. Asahi knew that, and he knew it well. Noya was a libero, so bruises were bound to appear. Only, these were… _Different_. Painfully so. For Asahi, emotionally, but for Noya? Physically, mentally, emotionally, all of it, always in a constant reply in his mind. When Nishinoya showed up to school bruised from practice or especially challenging matches, his bruises were grey, blue, or in the worst cases, tinted with purple. These bruises were scattered and scarce, always in the same places. Always at the knees, the elbows, sometimes lightly on his wrists. Always the same routine. Nowadays, the bruises appeared far more often. Too often. Nishinoya would laugh it off with short excuses and laughter, “Ahaha, I spent all night practicing~!” But that was a lie. Asahi knew that was a lie. Even Tanaka had chuckled in proud dismissal. Asahi felt sick. There was no reason to be proud. He knew Yuu better than that. He knew better than to believe in fake smiles and crinkled eyes. He _knew_ Nishinoya Yuu, and he _knew_ that something was up.

     The bruises that had been gathering lately were always bigger, darker, randomized. Asahi’s initial thought had been, “ _Ah, he’s working himself too hard…_ ” He was wrong. Well, of course he was right. Nishinoya always overexerted himself, but that’s not what the bruises came from. Asahi noticed the discolored patches of skin where Noya must have attempted to cover the bruises with concealer of the wrong tone. Azumane noticed when Yuu would nervously fidget and try to hide his bruises. He noticed when Noya stayed behind in the locker room or refused to change around the others. He was never like that before. And when Azumane had to go back into the locker room for a forgotten item, he noticed the trail of colors leading up Noya’s spine, the handprints around his neck. Azumane could never be sure, because he was not a medical health professional, but he wasn’t stupid, either. Asahi was well aware that the hues adorning Nishinoya’s flesh should never decorate human skin.

     And then. And then came the day when Nishinoya Yuu showed up to school in a sweater. But it wasn’t just the sweater that threw him off, it was the weather, too. It was fall, mid-september, and it was still humid outside. In years past, even in the depths of winter, Nishinoya Yuu was never one to bundle up. No, Nishinoya was the type of person that bathed in the snow and stripped in the heat. So why the layers all of the sudden? On an emotional level, as well, Noya began to build up layers to protect himself from others. Asahi had been so sure. Asahi had been on multiple internet forums, and he _thought_ that he knew. But he didn’t. No, Azumane was clueless for a very long time. Yuu was constantly brushing him off and rolling his eyes, but Azumane could see the pain behind those looks. Yuu had grown more gentle, more passive, more protective. His fire was going out.

     So when Asahi reached out to grab Nishinoya’s wrist, to check for scars, he did not expect Noya to flinch. He did not expect him to wince, to brace himself for a blow. So when Azumane grabbed his wrist, he immediately dropped it, growing an expression of pain of his own. Azumane Asahi knew now. And Nishinoya Yuu was terrified. He tried, he tried _so hard_ to just laugh it off, like usual. But his body betrayed him. Tears filled his eyes. He crumpled. He trembled. He shook. Nishinoya Yuu was never truly aware in his whole entire life of just how broken he was until he fell before Azumane Asahi. It was bittersweet and eventual. If Nishinoya could have chose who got to see him come crashing down, Azumane Asahi would have been at the top of that list. Or maybe the bottom. He trusted Asahi with all of his heart, but he didn’t want him to see him like this. His heart deflated. What if Asahi told somebody? Worse, what if _Suga_ found out?? No. No, this was all wrong. He wasn’t supposed to _know_. This was supposed to be one of those things that he’ll find out later in life, after they’re already content and happy with- Yuu stopped his thought process there. _With what?_ And then, worse than any other crushing realizations Nishinoya had ever experienced, Nishinoya Yuu realized that he was overwhelmingly, almost sickeningly, in love with Azumane Asahi. Azumane Asahi, who was currently scanning the boy over with soft eyes and a creased frown, who was now welcoming Noya into his arms, into his protective embrace. And finally, _finally_ , for once in his short life, Nishinoya Yuu felt safe. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so... I've been thinking about this headcanon for quite a while now, and my friend Kat just had to go and write it for me *cries* So I have decided to join her in the feelings festival. You can read her story here: http://www.wattpad.com/story/34683677-i%27ll-protect-you


	2. All Fall Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azumane knows, and now it's his job to keep quiet around the others. That's a difficult task when your silence may affect the life or death of someone you love. (In which Tanaka senses something up, and Sugamama wants to help)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some songs that inspired me were All Fall Down by One Republic (just One Republic in general XD), Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez (this breaks my heart every time but I love it), Smoke and Mirrors by Imagine Dragons, Monster by Meg and Dia, I'm So Sorry by Imagine Dragons, Bad Apple (English) by Christina Vee, and Angel of Darkness (idk who sings this, but it's not the Nightcore version). So yeah, I basically have a running playlist with songs for every chapter. If only I could get 8tracks to work on my Macbook...Anyways~Enjoy!

“Asahi, you can’t tell anyone…” He coughed out between broken sobs.

“Noya,” His voice was like stone, almost crumbling. “Noya,” His tone hardened, “Who did this to you?”

A cold, shattered laugh escaped him. “You already know, don’t you?”

“N-Noya…”

“Well? Who do you _think_?” He sounded bitter, edged with steel.

“This isn’t okay, Noya. We need to get you out of there.” Nishinoya avoided his gaze. Asahi braced his shoulders, forcing him to look him in the eyes, “This isn’t okay.”

“There’s nothing we can do.”

“That’s a lie. That’s a lie and you know it.”

“Asahi, he’ll just come back. He always…Comes…Back. I’ve tried. I’ve tried and look where I am now.” Cinnamon colored eyes softened as Azumane watched tears slide down the younger boy’s face.

“Nishinoya…” He winced, trying to approach the subject as lightly as possible. “…Why? Why does he do this?” Slowly, Asahi’s eyes filled with fire and rage. Noya had never seen him like this before. “You don’t deserve this. No one does.” He punched the wall. “Why? Why? Why….Why?!” His volume grew into a roar.

“A-Asahi… Calm down… Someone will hear.”

Asahi was seething, face red with rushed blood. “Noya… If I ever see your father…”

The threat lingered.

“I will not hesitate to hurt him. He _hurt_ you. He’s no man. He is a monster.” 

Nishinoya remained silent.

“What about your mother?”

“Gone.”

“Will you be safe? Do you want to-,”

Nishinoya stopped him there. “I’ll be fine.” He grit his teeth. Asahi actually cared. Asahi would be there. He could trust him. “We should get going.”

“…Right.” They slung their gym bags over their shoulders and headed out of the locker room, only to find Tanaka dozing off by the volleyball gym’s doors.

Nishinoya grinned wildly, wiping away any trace of tears within seconds. “Ryuu!” 

Tanaka snapped awake, “Ah! Noya! I was waiting for you! What took you so long?” Tanaka chuckled, giving Noya a noogie. His eyes flickered to Asahi. “A-Ah, Azumane-san… What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you have left? What time is it?”

“…Ah, I, um, I forgot something.”

Tanaka gave him a strange look before linking arms with Nishinoya, not missing a beat when the shorter boy’s stomach began to rumble, “The others went ahead without us. We missed meat buns!” Noya groaned, glancing for a moment at Asahi as Tanaka locked the gym doors. “Don’t worry, we can stop on our way!” Ryuu glanced at his watch, “Ah, it’s already getting late…”

Nishinoya’s eyes widened, “Um, maybe next time, Ryuu! I have to get home!” He sprinted off, leaving Tanaka rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes followed the boy’s figure until it was out of sight.  

“That’s…Strange.”

“Nishinoya!” Asahi called after him, as loud as he could, “Text me later so that I can know you’re safe!” Noya turned for a split second, bewildered, before continuing his run.

“So…” Ryuu waggled his eyebrows, “What were you two up to in the locker room, huh, Azumane?”

"Not the time.”

Tanaka punched his shoulder, “C’mon, let’s go.”  _Something is up with those two. Maybe Noya-san can hide it, but Asahi is fidgety today. They're hiding something._

“Tanaka…Has Noya ever… I mean, the two of you are best friends, right?” Asahi started nervously.

“Yeah!” Ryuu nodded vigorously. “The best of the best!” 

“Have you ever…Has he ever mentioned his family… Have you ever been to his house, Ryuu?”

Tanaka thought for a moment, “Hm… No, usually he stays at mine! But I’ve seen his dad. He’s creepy!” He mimicked a monster, hissing and wobbling. “…Noya’s mom isn’t involved… His dad is all serious, and whenever Karasuno loses a game or Noya doesn’t perform at his very best, when he doesn’t excel, Noya’s dad gets really… Scary. He pressures him a lot, and he’s always yelling at him for stupid things.” Tanaka shook his head. “Why?” 

“Just… Curious.”

“Say, Azumane… Has Noya been acting differently lately? Weird?” 

Asahi swallowed. “Uh…”

Ryuu chuckled, “Maybe it’s just my imagination.

_No…It’s definitely not your imagination. Nishinoya is in trouble, and he doesn't want to let anyone help._

_~~~~~~~~_

That night, despite his stomach's disagreement, Asahi skipped dinner. Instead, he stayed up in his room, cradling his phone, desperately awaiting the text that would signal Nishinoya's safety.

_It never came._

When sleep finally came to him, Asahi was plagued with nightmares of a faceless man. He couldn't help but think that, for Noya, that man had a face. For Noya, it wasn't just the nightmares. For Nishinoya Yuu, the nightmares were far better than reality. 

Instead, Asahi woke up to his phone ringing loudly, interrupting his nightmare. Hurriedly, he scrambled to answer, not bothering to look at the caller ID. He was still panting from his nightmare. His heart was racing, threatening to break from his ribcage. Frantically, tripping over his words, Asahi managed to say, "Nishinoya, oh my god. Are you alright? You never texted me, and... Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you?"

The silence on the other line was heavy. Gradually, a voice replied, "Asahi? What do you mean? What's wrong with Noya?" _Oh god. Oh no. Oh god, Asahi, you absolute fucking walnut of a useless white crayon._

Asahi gulped. Of all people, it just  _had_ to be Sugawara on the other line. Trying to change the subject, he spoke, "Why are you calling me? What time is it... Four A.M.?" He yawned.

"Azumane..." His tone was low and demanding, "Stop avoiding the questions. What's wrong with Noya-san? I want to help."

"Oh god, Suga...I... You can't."

"We don't know that yet! What happened to Nishinoya?"

"Suga, it's four in the morning..."

"I don't care. Answer me or I will wake Daichi and we will break through your window and interrogate you like we did when Tanaka got the first years drunk." Azumane visibly shivered.

"Suga, I promised..."

"Asahi," He said more gently, "I just want to help. Should I be worried?"

"Suga-san..."

"...Why does Nishinoya come to practice with those bruises and scrapes, Asahi? Why is he afraid to change with the rest of us?"

"Suga, I... You're going to have to ask him that yourself."

Silence. Overbearing silence.

"Why did you call?"

"Tanaka was having trouble sleeping. He told me he was worried about you, so I thought that I'd call to check up on you."

"This early?"

"You always have trouble sleeping when things are on your mind."

Silence. The other line went dead. 

Suga was right. Azumane did not fall back asleep, instead sitting mindlessly on his bed, knees to his chest, staring out the window emptily. His hunger bit into him as his heart began to ache. 

_God, Nishinoya, please be safe._

_~~~~~~~~_

Meanwhile, Nishinoya sat alone on his windowsill, hyperventilating. If his dad hadn't have confiscated and possibly smashed his phone, he would be calling Asahi right now. He just want to escape, to break away, but he was afraid he might take someone down with him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so honestly idk where I am going with this (for the most part) but yeah... Title inspired by All Fall Down by One Republic. I have found out today that I am terrible with titles. Another sorta short chapter, but that's how I am *shrug* Also, I tried to put some honorifics in here, but I every attempt was most likely incorrect usage, so sorry about that. I left a few in there. As always, thank you so much for reading! Like I said, this is my first fanfic, so... <3


	3. Lost 'Til You're Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nishinoya's team members decide that it's time to do something about Noya's home situation. Feelings ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gahhhh so I felt obliged to write this for a few reasons. One of the most prominent of those is because I'm going to Biology Camp for two weeks (June 28-July 11). I will not have access to internet, so I will not be able to update. However, I'll probably work on this while I'm at camp. On paper, that is! So long story short, the next update will be a while... Sorry! And I never proofread this ;-; sorry

Abuse is always paired with alcohol and angsty clichés, but for Nishinoya, the abuse didn’t start with drinking. Maybe, for him, that made it worse. His father was sober when he beat him senseless, and it hurt. It hurt more than anything. In fact, those days when Noya came home to bottles of alcohol were the days when he was more relieved than anything. Those were the days when his father would murmur, “Yuu, I’m sorry. I’m such a bad father, Yuu… I love you. I love you so much, no matter what. I wish your mother could see you know. I’m so proud, Yuu.” But the next day was full of hangovers and hard slaps to the face, painful kicks to his ribs, collisions of fist and jaw. The following days were the days when Yuu would scramble to get up, to go to his room and hide, to lock himself in the bathroom with his makeshift first aid kit. His bedroom door didn’t have a lock, so there was no hope there. Not even his own room could be a sanctuary. There were no safe places, with the exception of Ryuunosuke’s house, which he could seldom sneak away to. It was a momentary lapse of happiness, his father’s drunken stumbles and hours of vomiting after. Noya had always smirked at that, wanting more than all else to scream, _“Now you know how I feel! Every fucking day of my life, you shitty bastard!”_

Nishinoya was grateful for Tanaka Ryuunosuke. There were nights when Yuu would send a frantic text, and Tanaka was there for him just minutes later. That was all it took, a single message, and he was there. The Tanaka family had never judge Yuu for these late night getaways. They had always been open and welcoming. Ryuu truly was his very best friend. He had been there from the beginning. They had met in third grade, when Nishinoya was trying to catch a grasshopper on the school’s playground. Ryuu had been playing kickball at the time, and he’d been sent to retrieve the ball from the grass. Much to the chagrin of the other players, he was easily preoccupied by the little boy with the messy gelled-up hair. It struck him just how _cool_ he seemed. To all of the others, Tanaka had always been intimidating and scary. At the time, he still had a full head of hair. A shaved head hadn’t been the problem, it had been his scowl, his glare, that terrified the rest. But not Noya.

It went a little something like this:

_“I’m Tanaka Ryuunosuke! Nice to meet you! What are you doin—,”_

_Nishinoya shushed him, pouncing forward and clasping his small hands tight around the bug with a wide grin. “I did it!” He opened his palms ever so slightly to show Tanaka his prize. “I’m Nishinoya Yuu!”_

_“Whoa… Wait… **Yuu**?” _

_“_ _Yep! That’s me!”_ _Tanaka looked bewildered beyond repair. Even now, at sixteen, he still looked bewildered beyond repair. Perhaps that was just his default facial feature._

_“Yuu…Ryuunosuke… Ryuu…Yuu… R **yuu**. **Yuu** …” _

_This went on for a while longer before Nishinoya’s eyebrows shot upwards, realizing the comparisons. “Whoa!! How’d you do that?!”_

_T_ _anaka smiled proudly._

_“You’re so cool, Ryuu!”_

_“Ah, well…” He scratched the back of his head bashfully._

_“Let’s be best friends!”_

_“Forever!” Ryuu agreed._

_Y_ _ears later, Noya and Ryuu decided it was time to up their cool-factor by changing their hair. Saeko was more than willing to test stuff out on them. She’d always wondered what it would be like to get a beautician’s degree. At first, Ryuu was upset over his lack of hair, but Noya had assured him that it was “The coolest thing I’ve ever seen!” Saeko approved of the praise, and when it was time for Yuu’s turn, she had apologized profusely._

_“I’m so sorry, Yuu! It was a mistake! Don’t hate me! I didn’t follow the instructions correctly!” Truthfully, she hadn’t even glanced at them, but that wasn’t going to help in this situation._

_Curious, Nishinoya stole the mirror from her hand. “Whoa!!!! I look so cool! Thanks, sis!”_

_S_ _aeko decided it was best not to argue, and instead smiled proudly at his toothy grin and utterance of “sis.”_

And just like that, they had been stuck like glue ever since. They were always there for each other. Ryuu was there when his mom left, he was there when his dad started getting mad, when the pressure started, when the beating began, when he fell down a slope of hopelessness. And now, Yuu came down to the living room to see his father practically drowning in countless bottles and cans of alcohol. The sun was just beginning to peak out over the horizon.

A“Dad…” He spoke hesitantly, “Can… Can I have my phone back? My friends are probably worried… I-I told them I’d text them to let them know I got home safely.” He hated facing him. He hated _seeing_ him.

His father’s dark brown eyes stared off into the distance, far past Yuu. He looked numb, dead almost. Yuu almost would have preferred it to be that way. Without speaking a word, he carelessly waved a hand in the direction of the table beside the couch, where his phone lay, seemingly untouched.

“Yuu… What’s wrong with me?” His voice cracked.

Noya stiffened. “Dad?”

“Why am I so angry, Yuu? Why do I hurt you?”

“I don’t know. You tell me.” He tried to prevent the venom slipping into his voice. He wasn’t very successful.

“I’m sorry, Yuu. I don’t mean it.”

Quickly, Yuu lunged forward, stealing his phone off of the side table. His father gave him a hurt look at that. Noya wanted to shout, _“You’ve hurt me much more than that!”_

Instead, he said, “Then why do you do it? Obviously you must mean it. You’re not sorry at all. You’re a monster.” He lifted his shirt up a bit, flashing an array of darkened bruises. “You did this to me.”

“I-I…”

“You did. Don’t you dare try to deny it. I’m tired of keeping quiet.” He was suddenly filled with rage, “I hate you. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! You _hurt_ me! You make me feel worthless! You need professional help, dad! And so do _I!_ And it’s not even my fault!”

“Yuu…”

“I’m leaving dad. Call me when you decide to be a decent fucking father.” 

“ _Nishinoya Yuu!_ If you step out that door-,”

“It can't be as bad as what I’ve already been subjected to. I’m leaving.” The second he stepped out the door, his first instinct was to call Asahi. He scratched that idea out as soon as he realized just how _worried_ Asahi would be. He didn’t want to trouble him. So, instead, he knew he had to phone Ryuunosuke.

Yuu sat on a curb one block over from his own house, deciding to get it over with and check through all of the concerned calls and text messages. He had about fifty from Asahi, including a phone call. _A phone call. Since when was Asahi brave enough to actually **call**?_ Sighing, he checked through the others. A few from Ryuu, most of them saying he couldn’t sleep or he wanted to talk, and multiple voicemails of Ryuu shouting into the phone, demanding Yuu stop doing whatever he is doing and text him back. Towards the end of the last voicemail, Yuu could hear Saeko screaming from the other room for Ryuu to "Shut the hell up and go to bed!" Then, when Yuu reached the last few notifications, he paused, silently praying to whatever greater being(s) may exist that it was nothing to worry about. He had several phone calls and voicemails from Suga, and finally, one text message from Daichi stating that if he didn’t respond to Sugawara, he was going to make him run extra laps.

Gulping, Yuu opened up his speed dial and selected Ryuu’s number. Immediately, before the phone even had the chance to ring, he picked up, shrieking like a crow right into the microphone, “Yuu! You _finally_ picked up!! Ha, Yuu…You… Ah, what am I saying?! Yuu! Why didn’t you pick up last night? Is something the matter? You weren’t at practice this morning, either. I know it’s Saturday, but… Everyone is worried! Azumane is practically a bomb right now!”

Noya sighed, sweeping his bangs out of his eyes. Damn it. He had forgotten to gel his hair this morning, and it made him notice that he hadn’t even packed a bag. Or anything at all. “…Ryuu, can I… Can I stay with you and Saeko for a while?”

“Like a sleepover?”

He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Um… Ah, my dad had to leave for a business trip for a week or two, and I just…” Noya hated the feeling of lying to his best friend. “Alright, no. I can’t do this. Ryuu, can I just stay with you for a while? I can pay you back, like rent, or something, but I just… I can’t stay with my dad anymore, Ryuu.”

“Is this what Asahi was hiding from everybody?”

Noya whispered a quiet, “Shit.”

“Noya, bro, why didn’t you tell me sooner? Of course you can stay! Do you need me to pick you up? Where are you?” 

“Ah, I’m um, a little while away from my house… I’m in a neighborhood called Fairhaven Cove.”

“We’ll be there in a few minutes! Saeko and I are already in town, so it won’t hurt to stop by for you! My dad is out at a conference in Tokyo for a couple of days, but he’ll be back really soon!”

“Thank you so much, Ryuu.” 

“It’s not a problem. We’d do anything for you, Yuu!”  (pun accidental but definitely appreciated) 

“…Thank you.”

"Thank _Yuu!"_ Ryuu snorted, probably dying. When Ryuu hung up, unable to stop laughing his ass off, Noya called Asahi.

He was not yet ready to call Suga, mentally or emotionally. Noya was afraid he'd start crying on the line. He breathed out a small, “Hey.”

“Noya!! I was so scared, are you okay? Do you need-,” 

“I’m staying with Ryuu for a while. I left.” It felt weird to be able to be honest for once.

“…Oh… Listen, Suga was really worried about you because Tanaka told him that something was up. He’s been bothering me ever since about what’s going on. I haven’t told him anything, but…” He trailed off, and Noya could practically hear the sweat trickling down the side of his face.

“I’ll talk to him. Bye. See you later, I guess.”

“Stay safe, Noya.” He shivered involuntarily, suddenly aware of the danger he was in, of the danger he could be putting Ryuu and Saeko in. What if the whole _team_ was in danger because of him? Would his father really go that far, or would he even care at all? Noya thought of his teammates, of bubbly Hinata, and gulped. This could be serious. He didn't want to risk other people just for his own safety. Losing the others was not worth the security. They were the only thing that kept him going nowadays. 

“…Yeah.”

He braced himself for the call with Suga, stomach twisting in knots. A hand ran absentmindedly through his hair as he sighed. He was really going to have to borrow some gel from Saeko. Or maybe just some ponytails. 

With a feeling of dread welling up in his gut, a memory dawned upon Nishinoya. When he was ten, Saeko had decided that Yuu was better than any doll, and she filled his hair with small hair clips, lady bugs and daisies among them. _Those_ had been a pain to get out.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so some good songs (I think) for this chapter are Coming Home and Mercy by One Republic, Angel with a Shotgun, and Discord by The Living Tombstone. Please, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't comment. I spend hours trying to configure this trash XD *also: please stop by and say hey to me on tumblr! My url is pomegranasia * But like I said, I'll be gone until July 11. Good messages are always great to come back to, though!


	4. The Quiet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Growing distance from your explanations  
> We're getting deeper in this mess  
> Take careful contemplation  
> I'd rather be spitting blood  
> Than have this silence fuck me up"  
> -Troye Sivan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter inspired by The Quiet by Troye Sivan. Yes, I AM Troye Sivan trash, thx for asking. An almost-happy chapter? What?????? Of course not. I'm sorry for the inconsistency in my update. I've been facing a lot of struggles recently, but that's not really an excuse. I know it's been a LONG LONG TIME since my last update, and I'm sorry that this one is SO short. Maybe it'll snowball? I wrote this at 2 a.m. and idk what I'm even doing anymore. Thanks for reading!

Nishinoya decided it would be an excellent use of his time to simply walk back and forth down the same patch of pavement, trying to find a secret pattern hidden in the ground. It was soothing, almost. Almost. He felt empty inside, like his ribcage was a decaying trap for his shriveled heart, yet at the same time, Yuu felt far too full. He hadn’t eaten in well over twelve hours, but just the thought of food made him nauseous. As he paced, reality hit him. He was a runaway, his father was a crazy drunkard who was probably going to report his absence to the cops as soon as he sobered up (He was still under eighteen, so it was perfectly liable. Besides, his dad was a great actor. Like when he acted like he cared just to manipulated Yuu into caring), he had no money, his grades were not good to say the least, he was about to make his best friend hide him and probably get into trouble with the cops, and he had literally stormed out of his home with no more than the clothes on his back and his phone, which his dad could totally cancel at any moment. He literally had nothing. He didn’t even have a plan. Pathetic. His mind went blank, static, ambient, and all Yuu saw was grey. That is, until the proximity of Saeko’s car scared the shit out of him. 

Ambling out of the minivan, Ryuu tackled Nishinoya with a bro-hug. Yuu sighed with content, letting himself sink into the familiar smell of Ryuu’s stupid overpowering masculine cologne. It probably had a hilarious name like Earthworm or something. He snorted to himself. 

“Yuu! Where’s your stuff?”

“Oh,” he slouched, “Ugh…”   
Saeko, with the window rolled down, pierced daggers into Ryuu with her glare. “It doesn’t matter, he can use your stuff. C’mon Ryuu, get in. I’m starving.” 

They piled in, a small grin gracing Nishinoya’s features. Ryuu sat in the front, Noya in the back. Saeko murmured something about Ryuu being a “rude and impolite host.” Yuu sunk into the stained car seat, momentarily forgetting his troubles.

Saeko made eye contact with him in the rearview mirror, giving him a soft look of understanding. Noya gulped. “Have you eaten yet, Yuu?”

“I’m okay.”

“That’s not on the answer key. We’re going to McDonalds and I am getting us five order of twenty piece chicken nuggets. We are each eating thirty-three and you’re going to enjoy it. Understand?”

Realizing that he didn’t have a choice, Noya nodded.

“Hey, wait! That isn’t right! Thirty-three times three is only eighty-nine!” Ryuu complained.

“…That’d be ninety-nine, Ryuunosuke. We’re enrolling you in that tutoring program dad was talking about. And it’s already settled, Yuu is getting the last one.”

“Nee-chan...” He groaned. She turned the radio on, blasting an undecipherable hip hop song as she grinned toothily, turning into the drive-through. 

 

Just as Ryuu was cheering Noya on as he was quickly drinking a vast amount of dipping sauce through his straw, a loud series of beeps cut through the air. Noya paused, bursting with laughter, “Kim Possible? Really, Ryuu?”

“Oh, shut up.” He growled, pulling his phone out of his pocket to accept the call, “What’s the sitch?” A honeyed, concerned voice was berating him loudly on the other side. All color drained from his face. “…He’s not here. And he’s totally not drinking sweet and sour sauce from a straw… Oh wait, damn it! Fine. Sorry, buddy.” He handed the phone to Nishinoya, who paled like rancid milk.

“Heyyyyy, Suga. Sorry I missed practice. Stomach troubles. Too many Gari Gari-kun popsicles. Ehe.” He spoke rapidly, trying not to miss his normal upbeat tone of voice. 

“Cut the crap, Nishinoya. Tell me what’s up.” Suga’s normal fruity and modulated voice had gone missing, replaced by a strangled undertone. Saeko eyed him with outright concern, flicking a fry at Yuu with a small smile in an effort to cheer him up. He was a nervous wreck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter is worse than the others? I'm pretty emotionally insane right now, so my writing feels different? I don't know, but thank you for reading! Please go shout at me on my tumblr: http://pomegranasia.tumblr.com (TBH you guys I never finished Haikyuu!! and I'm secretly Tananoya trash). Sorry for the short chapter. Hopefully there'll be more to come! <3


	5. NOT AN UPDATE OOPSIE DOOPSIES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This work is discontinued. It's okay to hate me lol. It's always nice to have things in common with people. Anyyyyyways, read on if you wanna listen to me over share. ps this isn't proofread, so sorry if there are any typos

So, I know that it's annoying as hell, even if you understand why, to get a notification for a fic that turns out to be a notice of discontinuation instead of a chapter. This fic was a train wreck or a lot of reasons, and I just want you guys to understand why I will no longer be updating it (though y'all probably could've guessed when I waited like three years to post this). I started this fic when I was like thirteen or fourteen years old, and at the time, I was going through a lot of tough shit. This was my first ever published fanfic, and at first, I was very proud and excited about it. Initially, the responses were mostly positive or constructive, but I eventually received a mean message accusing of me of plagiarism. Plagiarism is something that I take very seriously, so you can see how I was concerned. I asked for a link to whatever work I apparently "plagiarized" from, but I never received one. Now, about three years later, I have some suspicions regarding exactly who posted that comment and why they did it. But that's beside the point (I'm over that entire ordeal now).   
I was very upset over these claims and the lack of evidence I was provided. I wanted to know exactly what it was about this work that made it seem plagiarized. Ironically, soon after, my work was plagiarized itself. I know that a lot of you have left me kind and encouraging messages or messages to notify me that my work has been plagiarized, and I appreciate that. However, after a long struggle, I have given up entirely. I wish that I could say that I feel comfortable posting more fics; the honest truth is that I don't. Maybe one day, in the future, I will post another fic, but as of now, based on previous experiences, I am extremely reluctant to do so.   
I don't want to come off as someone who hates on the fandom ((Honestly, I never even caught up with Haikyuu!! so I don't really consider myself to be a part of the fandom)). It's just that, based on everything that has happened, I've realized that there are toxic people in every walk of life. Not everyone in life is going to enjoy what I do, and I don't expect them to. I just never expected some of the negative situations that I was put in as a result of posting this fic.   
As previously stated, I never caught up with Haikyuu!! (lmao AP Chem means that all of my free time is spent crying). I never really trusted myself to finish this fic because I didn't want to write characters OOC. Sidenote: I fell in a TanaNoya pit and I couldn't get back into AsaNoya like before. I'm a sucker for the best friends to lovers tropes.   
Wow, this is starting to feel like those personal blog posts that no one ever reads. Oof, my bad. But for those of you who may be concerned, I want to reassure you that my mental health has vastly improved. I'm doing a lot better than I was, though my anxiety still has a huge impact on me most days.   
This fic, if you haven't already gathered, is formally discontinued. I apologize to those of you who enjoyed this fic, and tbh if any of you want to continue it (with my permission plz lol I've already had my battles with plagiarism), I would feel honored. In the meantime, though, y'all can hmu @ pomegranasia on tumblr for some real gay shit. Lmao V out, I hope y'all have a blessed day + I'm sorry if you hate me now.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so... I've been thinking about this headcanon for quite a while now, and my friend Kat just had to go and write it for me *cries* So I have decided to join her in the feelings festival. You can read her story here: http://www.wattpad.com/story/34683677-i%27ll-protect-you


End file.
